This invention relates generally to a method for preparing a monocrystalline surface for deposition of a monocrystalline oxide thereon, and more particularly to a method for removing an amorphous oxide from a monocrystalline surface.
Single crystal oxides, such as perovskites, are attractive materials due to their simple crystal structures and unique ferroelectric, dielectric, and optical properties. The high quality epitaxial growth of single crystal oxides on monocrystalline substrates, such as silicon, is desirable for numerous device applications, such as optical waveguides, ferroelectrics, nonvolatile high density memory devices, MOS devices and the like.
For many years, attempts to grow monocrystalline oxides on monocrystalline substrates have proven difficult because of the easily-formed amorphous oxide layer that forms on the substrate surface in an oxygen atmosphere. This amorphous oxide layer prevents high quality growth of monocrystalline oxides on monocrystalline substrates. Because an ordered and stable substrate surface is needed to facilitate the growth of high quality monocrystalline oxide layers, it is desirable to remove the amorphous oxide layer from the surface of the substrate before depositing the monocrystalline oxide layer.
Accordingly, a method of removing an amorphous oxide layer from a monocrystalline substrate is needed. In addition, a method for forming an ordered and stable surface on a monocrystalline substrate for subsequent growth of a monocrystalline oxide layer is needed.